


below the sun

by Mamichigo



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Elemental Magic, Fairy Tale Elements, Fluff, HQ Rarepair Bang 2020, M/M, Seasonal Spirits and Guardians
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:22:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23537575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mamichigo/pseuds/Mamichigo
Summary: The first time the tower appeared, just peeking out above the clouds, Koushi had been shocked, and the spirits around him burst into chaos as each fervently commented on it, some yelling. As for him, Koushi found his mouth to be locked tight shut when a man with night colored eyes leaned over the stones of the unfinished tower to look out into the horizon.This was his first time seeing a human being, and it was also the first time he saw someone with that exact shade of blue contained in his eyes.*A story of a snow spirit and the King upon the tower.
Relationships: Kageyama Tobio/Sugawara Koushi
Kudos: 38
Collections: HQ Rarepair Bang 2020





	below the sun

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so happy I can finally this, I had so much fun writing this story. I want to thank my partner, Amberly, for her patience and for sticking with me till the end. I hope this was as worth it to you as it was for me, because I had a blast. [Here's the link to her art piece!](https://twitter.com/amberlyhuang/status/1247705536113577984)  
> Ps: you better followe her on twitter on [@amberlyhuang](https://twitter.com/amberlyhuang)

The first time the tower appeared, just peeking out above the clouds, Koushi had been shocked, and the spirits around him burst into chaos as each fervently commented on it, some yelling. As for him, Koushi found his mouth to be locked tight shut when a man with night colored eyes leaned over the stones of the unfinished tower to look out into the horizon.

This was his first time seeing a human being, and it was also the first time he saw someone with that exact shade of blue contained in his eyes. Koushi, distracted, wondered if he'd see stars inside if they were to be examined up close.

That was the impression that lingered of the Lonely King, the King on the Cloud Tower. Koushi would watch him work, sometimes, but Autumn, and soon Winter, were upon them, and it took all of Koushi's attention (though it never kept his mind from wandering).

In the years of seeing the King at the window, a gaze that spoke of a melancholy Koushi couldn't understand, he never imagined the King to be a talkative person, but was shocked all the same when he spared him no words once Koushi took it upon himself to pay the King a visit.

Despite the sign of rejection, Koushi still came to that little room inside the tower; a floor that was always littered with piles of paper, all scribbled in a language he couldn't understand. A candle that burned on a table in the corner, but never warmed the stones of the tower, which were as cold as Koushi's own hands. Exactly three windows, where Koushi would sometimes sit to let the wind blow at his hair, and the sheer outlayer of his outfit swayed behind and around him. So many little things that drew him in, books and crannies that held secrets yet to be discovered.

And their King, with just as many unrevealed surfaces. Koushi watched from the corner of his eyes and simply spoke his mind on whatever topic occupied his thoughts at the moment. He was never told to leave, but nor did he receive a response, not even a nod of acknowledgement.

No wonder he was surprised when, one day while watching Koushi gesticulate as he talked, the King spoke up. _"_ You can make snow, right?" Said Kageyama—as Koushi had discovered he was called, at the time he first came to visit him

Koushi, dumbfounded at the sudden break of his silence pledge, only nodded. Kageyama stared at him. "Show me."

Koushi continued to gape, out of confusion or shock, he didn't know. He had never imagined the King would speak in such a demanding tone, and almost blurted exactly that in reply.

Kageyama shuffled awkwardly. "Please," he added. He looked earnest about it, but his resolve dropped at Koushi's lack of response.

"Oh. Oh! Of course!" Koushi hurried to say, before Kageyama could turn his back on him. "I apologize. You surprised me, that's all."

It was a simple request—making snow was, after all, part of his daily routine. Accepting it was no trouble at all, especially since this was a rare chance to show off.

He hopped down from the windowsill and approached in slow steps. Even as he stood before Kageyama, it still took some stretching to reach the top of his head. Kageyama, perhaps taking pity on him, crouched to make the position easier on him. Koushi brushed that little inconvenience off in favor of making snow fall from his fingertips, perfectly white and glittering with the aid of the sunset's light. They slowly made their way onto the top of Kageyama's hair, and the King looked up at it with what seemed to be wonder.

His eyes were alight with a spark that had been otherwise lacking in him, hidden under melancholy. The perpetual frown on his face was gone, his expression relaxing into something softer. Gently, Kageyama raised a hand to the miniature snowstorm, contently looking at the snowflake that landed right there, at the tip of his finger.

There was something about it that made Koushi's chest ache.

"I've decided," Koushi declared, waiting patiently for Kageyama to look at him. And when he did, Koushi grinned. "I will visit you every day, no exceptions, until I can make you smile. That's my mission."

And that was the oath he decided to protect, for however long it took.

Art by Amberly

* * *

As Koushi leaped and his feet touched the next cloud; it bounced underneath him, shaking as if it wanted to disperse.

The first few times he had done this, Koushi had needed Daichi's help, as he made the clouds darker and denser, firmer to step on. There were some slips of the foot that Koushi didn't like remembering, but the experience turned him quite proficient in cloud hopping, even more so than the other spirits were—even Shouyou, whose bright self was found leaping and jumping for most of the day, always charged by endless energy.

Koushi smiled at the thought and jumped forward. The gap between the cloud the window he aimed for made his stomach drop, and his heart beat faster as the wind rushed into his eyes. His arms latched onto polished stones before he could fall, the act of pulling himself up effortless. Koushi sat on the windowsill, one foot already inside the room, but he paused and looked up at his hair. As discreetly as he could manage, Koushi smoothed his hair down and approached the lone figure that sat on the floor.

"Good morning, King Kageyama," Koushi greeted with an easy smile. 

"Just Kageyama is fine," the man replied without looking up, words instinctive to him.

Koushi chuckled and stepped forward until he was by Kageyama's side. The tail of his dress dragged on the floor as he lowered himself, so Koushi folded it neatly under his knee, while his long sleeves were tucked on his lap.

"What has your attention today?" Koushi peered at Kageyama's hand, busy with a knife and a piece of wood.

Kageyama glanced at him, blue eyes distant as ever, but soon he looked away again. His hands worked in a rhythmic motions, chips of woods falling between his crossed legs.

"Carving," Kageyama said.

Koushi hummed and continued to watch, fascinated by the steadiness of his movements, always so precise. Some of it looked painful, if only because Kageyama's fingers were red, working themselves into a raw state, but Koushi thought there was a grace to it that he lacked himself. What an enchanting little thing.

Perhaps growing self-conscious under his stare, Kageyama faltered, and the next cut of the knife didn't go all the way through. Kageyama looked at it blankly for a long moment, before sighing and setting his tools on the ground. He turned to face Koushi.

"I fail to see how watching me is interesting," Kageyama announced. 

Koushi, for his part, only laughed. "Well, I suppose it isn't interesting to you," he agreed. "But I have never seen the things humans make with their skill alone, only heard their voices, carried by the wind."

The world below was prohibited to them, who watched from afar as the seasons changed. They used their magic for creatures they knew nothing of, only their voices known, but they were small and distant by the time they reached the spirits above. Thinking of those days, when he would wonder about the working of their world, Koushi flickered his fingers and let little snowflakes gather into a pile.

"It might be boring to you, but it's unique for me," Koushi said.

Kageyama frowned. "Is that why you keep coming here?"

The question gave him pause, and he looked up from the now melting mess he left on the floor. Koushi glanced around, at paper strewn about, littering the floor, the shelves that lined the walls, some full of flasks containing mysterious, sparkling liquids, others filled with books of all colors, creating a rainbow of spines with gold and silver lettering. The place was messy, he supposed, but alive in a way the clouds never looked. 

Then, he returned to Kageyama, with his lonely eyes and careful words, too polite and all the same too blunt. Koushi smiled.

"No, that isn't it," Koushi answered. "I'm here because I wanted to make you smile, remember?"

That earned him a wince. Kageyama picked at the fine skin of his fingertip that was peeling off.

"I'm not sure how to say this," Kageyama started, voice stiff. "The kind of person you are…"

Kageyama grumbled to himself and let the words hang in the air. Koushi leaned a bit closer, tilted his head to offer him an encouraging smile. Kageyama coughed once.

"You seem like you're always thinking about others." Kageyama stopped picking on his skin and instead crossed his arms over his chest. "You could be selfish, sometimes. I think."

Koushi blinked at him. When he didn't reply right away, Kageyama picked his knife back up and settled back into whatever he was carving. 

"Then, Kageyama," Koushi said to get his attention. Softly, he pressed a finger to his shoulder as well. Once Kageyama's eyes were on him, Koushi asked, "Can I be selfish for this one moment?"

Kageyama gestured for him to go on, and while to others it may seem dismissive, or lacking enthusiasm, Koushi saw the way his hands rested on his knees, no move made to keep going with his craft. It was all the attention Koushi needed.

"The real reason I come here isn't as altruistic, really," Koushi admitted. "I just enjoy spending time with you, that's all."

And if Koushi wanted to confess further, he'd say he thrived on having Kageyama's attention on him, so he wanted to capture it, to have that feeling for as long as Kageyama would allow it. However, those were not words be could profess so carelessly, not to Kageyama, who still looked so vulnerable whenever he allowed himself to show genuine emotion. 

Koushi felt the urge to press their shoulder together, but firmly ignored it.

"Oh," Kageyama said. "That's fine, then."

Koushi lost Kageyama's gaze again, but he could see how relaxed his profile was, molded into what would be a neutral expression on anyone else.

To Koushi, he looked happy.

"Sit down, then," Kageyama ordered next.

Koushi looked down at his own legs, still folded into a crouch, and slid down onto his calves.

"Any reason for it?" Koushi asked.

Kageyama shrugged. "No, it just looked like a painful position to stay in."

Koushi chuckled at the simplicity of his response, but finally shifted so he sat back instead, with a leg stretched out and the other pulled up to his chest.

"Well, you do plenty of painful looking things yourself," Koushi noted.

With a pause, Kageyama tilted his head. "For example?"

There were many other instances of it that Koushi could refer to, which was a little worrying when he thought about it.

"Like carving," he said, and looked pointedly at Kageyama's fingers.

He lowered his fingers so they were no longer in Koushi's field of vision. "This is nothing," Kageyema grumbled.

"It still looks painful." His own hands were smooth and unscarred, and Koushi could not imagine the pain of using them for so long it would make them bleed. "Let me see them, just for a minute."

Kageyama's face scrunched up, and he stared at Koushi with suspicion.

"What for?"

"I just want to take a look." When Kageyama didn't budge, he added, "Please?"

That did the trick, and though he hesitated, Kageyama extended his hand far enough for Koushi to clutch it. He was gentle about it, with a palm supporting Kageyama's wrist, while his other hand pried his fingers open, one by one. At first, Kageyama seemed tense, but as soon as Koushi brushed the small injuries, he let out a sigh and his shoulders sagged.

"It does hurt, doesn't it?" Koushi asked, slightly accusatory.

"You get used to it," Kageyama replied.

His thumb brushed across a small bruise etched on the side of Kageyama's wrist. "Do you really?" When he pressed just a bit harder, Kageyama winced. "What a terrible thing to get used to."

"I've had much worse," Kageyama said dismissively. When Koushi tilted his head, he elaborated, "From sword training."

His sword still laid somewhere in the upper room, but Koushi was unsure if it was still used, though certainly cared for, with its shining silver and sapphires, edge always so sharp. The one time Kageyama had picked it up, his whole demeanor changed; he almost seemed to grow taller, his eyes darker, and the sheer focus in his gaze was chilling. Koushi didn't have to struggle to see how he would scare his enemies when needed.

But at the end, what stood out to him was the curve of his palm, wrapped so gracefully around the hilt. Firm, but relaxed all the same. It was a grip Kageyama was familiar with, and the weight of the blade never dragged him down.

While he'd heard of the horrible things swords were used for, Koushi admitted there was a certain beauty to it.

"Would you show me, someday?" Kageyama made a noise. "Your swordsmanship."

His fingers flexed like it was reaching for the hilt, but there was nothing for him to grip. Kageyama frowned. "We don't have a lot of space here."

"That's okay, we'll work around it," Koushi suggested.

"If you are sure…"

"I am."

Kageyama looked up at him and Koushi held his gaze. The hand that wasn't trapped in between Koushi's fidgeted in Kageyama's lap.

"Your hands are cold," he commented, and Koushi paused.

"I'm sorry." Even now, his fingers glittered with unshed snow. He rubbed his digits together to get rid of the residue. "Does it bother you?"

"It's…" Koushi made to pull away, but Kageyama injured fingers pressed against his, freezing him in place. "It's not bad."

The skin he touched was so warm it almost burned. It wasn't the same as Hinata, whose touch left a painful imprint on his skin, but a more subdued version of it. Enough to be felt in stark contrast, but never walking past the threshold between comforting and hurtful. Koushi softened at the thought that Kageyama might feel the same about his colder temperature.

"Then I'm glad."

Kageyama nodded mutely and watched Koushi rub soothing circles onto his reddened skin. His finger twitched and briefly touched the snowflake marked on Koushi's wrist. He didn't react, thinking nothing of the touch, but startled when Kageyama reached his other hand to press a thumb against it.

He yelped and Kageyama jumped, eyes wide as Koushi stared back with blush. Kageyama was still, not pulling away, but making no move to touch him further.

"I'm so sorry, you startled me!" Koushi hurried to explain. He sighed and pressed a palm to his chest, where his heart beat rapidly. "Please, don't touch me without a warning."

"...Sorry."

Kageyama's expression closed off, but Koushi had learned to see that it wasn't in anger, but rather regret or even self-loathing over a perceived failure. Koushi smiled and poked his finger to Kageyama's chin.

"It's alright, I was just surprised. You can do it again, if you want," Koushi clarified. Kageyama looked skeptical, so he added, "It doesn't hurt, I promise."

Once he heard those words, Kageyama allowed himself to press down so he felt the slight elevation where the snowflake was marked, its icy blue stood out from the pale white that spread from Koushi's fingertips down to the middle of his forearm. Kageyama traced it with obvious curiosity, only pausing when Koushi shivered.

"All of us have a mark on our skin," Koushi said, quiet as to not break the Iull of the moment. "It was the last thing the gods gave to each of us, along with our names."

"Your name…" Kageyama echoed. "Sugawara?"

"Yes, we carry the names given to us, to honor the gods. But our chosen name is just as important."

Kageyama scrunched up his nose. "Should I be calling you Koushi all this time?"

While the insistence on using his given name and not his chosen one had at first surprised Koushi, he hadn't pushed the subject, seeing as Kageyama looked so uncomfortable whenever he suggested being called "Koushi" instead. Hearing him say it now, without fuss and with ease, put butterflies in his stomach, and warmth in his chest.

"Should I be calling you Tobio all this time?" Koushi shot back, and enjoyed the way Kageyama jumped in response. To soften the blow, he added, "It is a wonderful name, the one you chose. I wouldn't mind calling you by it."

His voice was soft, but it startled Kageyama all the same, who gaped and groped for words. Koushi laughed again, ready to take back the subtle request, but Kageyama was faster.

"You can. If you want. It doesn't matter either way," he said, with barely any pauses between the words.

It was Koushi's turn to look incredulous, but instead of gaping, his mouth curved in a wide grin. "But you were so adamant I call you Kageyama before—," he tried to argue, despite his joy.

"It's fine."

"If you're sure…"

Kageyama tugged on his wrist and Koushi was dragged by the momentum, face so close he could see the exact shade of blue of his eyes. He wondered if the sea, darkened as the Sun fell, looked the same when seen in person. 

"I am," Kageyama replied.

Koushi was overcome by untold emotion, a pressure that stole all his breath away, a precious but secret thing. He softened all over, from his eyes to his grip, and he found himself holding Kageyama's hand, palm against palm, fingers almost crossed together but not quite. He pressed himself closer and touched his lips to Kageyama's forehead, above his eyebrows, and his hair tickled at Koushi's nose.

As he pulled back, Kageyama moved forward, and they were left staring at each other, each in their own turmoil.

"Thank you, Tobio," Koushi whispered.

Tobio sucked in a sharp breath, and his teeth gnawed on his bottom lip. The white of it caught his eyes, but his attention was captured by the tremble of his hands, noticeable even as Koushi held them.

It felt as if he had not opened, but accidentally dropped a box he'd been keeping safe for so long, and it broke open before Koushi could prevent it. He burned inside first, then all over, a fire that spread too far and too fast.

Koushi disentangled himself from Tobio, who seemed confused by the sudden shift, but Koushi was too flustered to pay attention to that fact. When he got himself to his feet, it was clumsy and almost had Koushi tumbling right back down.

"Ah! I think I should take my leave now, Daichi needs my assistance, I'm sure," Koushi stuttered, even as the Sun burned bright outside on a clear Summer day. Tobio looked ready to protest, so Koushi went on,"I— I'll be back another day. Thank you for your time!"

And, before anything could be said, Koushi jumped out of the window.

* * *

The tower looked more distant than ever, though it only took a couple of hops to reach it. As always, the King sat on the windowsill, dangling dangerously with one leg out. His gaze was vacant, and Koushi would bet the wind was blowing his fringe into his eyes, but Tobio made no moves to stop it.

Koushi sighed and as he did, it lowered the temperature in the immediate air, snowflakes flying and falling to his feet to melt on the cloud he was perched on.

"That's an uncharacteristically heavy sigh," a voice behind him commented, and Koushi didn't have to turn to know who it was. He refrained from answering. "Aren't you visiting the King today?"

"Hello to you, too, Daichi," Koushi replied, as it seemed their leader was willing to take the not-so-subtle jab route.

Daichi sat beside him, the clouds darkening to match the gray of his clothes, while others dispersed entirely. He was smiling when he looked at Koushi. "You didn't answer my question."

Koushi pictured Tobio's last expression from the previous day: fragile, raw, vulnerable. So, so breakable. His stomach turned.

"Still undecided," he said finally.

Daichi raised an eyebrow at him. "Did you somehow offend him?"

Koushi gasped and stared at him. "What? No!" He knocked Daichi's shoulder with his own. "Why is that even your first conclusion?"

"Because I know you," he laughed and rubbed at his shoulder.

Koushi blew an exasperated breath and flickered his wrist in Daichi's direction out of spite, but the snowflakes were nothing but light shimmer, which didn't affect Daichi in the slightest.

"Of course you do." Koushi stuck out his tongue at him.

Perhaps feeling kind enough to ignore Koushi's show of childishness, Daichi only crossed his arms. "Then, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Koushi replied automatically. Daichi looked on, so he laughed awkwardly. "I'm just… Unsure of how to face him at the moment," he said, and they both knew who "him" referred to.

Koushi buried his face into his fist, obscuring some of his expression. "I don't want to burden him, that is all."

"Burden?" Daichi echoed, both exasperated and indignant. "What's that about?"

Koushi didn't reply, instead looking to the side to watch the unchanging sky. Not coincidentally, his gaze was the opposite direction from where the tower stood.

"Koushi…" There was a hardness to Daichi's voice when he spoke, but the hand he put on Koushi's back was gentle. "Listen to me. There's no need to worry yourself sick about things like that."

Koushi faced him. "Huh?"

"If you let everyone's feelings come before yours, you will lose your chance to act on them," Daichi said, with that kind of harsh certainty that always worked even on Koushi's most frenzied thoughts. "There's no need to overthink the outcome, just be selfish for once."

"Tobio, he…" Koushi smiled to himself. "He told me something similar just yesterday."

"Then he knows you as well," Daichi teased.

Koushi grinned and nodded in agreement. "Truth be told, I really want to see him today," he admitted, and felt lighter for it. "I just…"

"Then go." Daichi pushed him forward and in front of them the clouds went black, creating a path all the way to the tower.

Understanding the hint, Koushi got to his feet. They exchanged a look, something that came from the familiarity of millennia together. He turned to go, but was stopped.

"And Koushi?" Daichi called out.

Koushi stopped to look at him over his shoulder. "Yes?"

"You might want to try a confession first."

Koushi left without an answer, and the sound of Daichi's laughter follows him all the way through. He would get back at him for this, he was sure of that, but right now the only thing in his mind was seeing Tobio.

The trip is quick with the clouds being firm under him, and Daichi had the courtesy of providing a stairway all the way up to the window, where he could step into instead of plunging at. He walked up with a grin and Tobio's name on his tongue, but he paused when he realized the King had company already.

"I came to visit you this time," Shouyou is saying, all cheerful smiles and teasing words. "That way you won't be so lonely and sad, Kageyama."

"Shut up, I'm not lonely," Tobio grumbled from where he was leaning against the wall, looking positively murderous.

Koushi hovered awkwardly, not wanting to interrupt an on-going conversation, especially as Tobio and Shoyou were good friends—or their version of it, at least. He debated leaving the two of them to it, but his hesitation allowed the conversation to go on before he could make a decision.

"So gazing out of the window with sad eyes is just your hobby?" Hinata asked.

Koushi didn't see what Tobio threw, but the sound it made as it connected with the wall was loud enough to make him jump.

"What about K—," Tobio paused and made a face. Koushi found himself leaning forward in expectation. "Sugawara?"

He couldn't help deflating a little.

"Maybe getting scolded by Daichi?" Shouyou replied, and Koushi winced.

"What for?"

"Something about 'being dramatic and making it snow when it's the middle of Summer'."

It was a good thing Koushi was already planning revenge on Daichi, but this just solidified his resolve.

He heard a quiet chuckle and Koushi snapped to attention, if only because it was such a strange sound. Nothing like Hinata's carefree and bright laughs, instead a sound more reserved, deeper. Koushi stared, disbelieving.

"Sugawara is…" Tobio's voice trailed off, but the curve at the corner of his mouth grew until he could see just a hint of his teeth.

Tobio smiled and Koushi came crashing into the room with all the power of a tornado, but without any grace to back him up. Only the support of his hands, extended at just the right time, saved him from a nasty cut, but his chin still throbbed, along with his palms. When Koushi looked up, he found Tobio and Shouyou staring at him owlishly, and he returned the look.

"Tobio!" He yelled.

"Tobio?" Shouyou questioned and glanced between the two of them.

Tobio didn't know which one of them to face first, so at the end he simply looked past Koushi's head.

"What is it?"

"You…" His voice went up an octave. He tried to clear his throat, and failed. "You smiled."

Tobio whipped his head so fast he winced and held a hand to his neck. He pushed himself off the wall and crossed the room to offer him a hand.

"Get up," he said quietly.

Just as Koushi took his hand, he saw Shouyou tip-toeing away from them towards the window. When their eyes crossed, Shouyou beamed and mouthed a "good luck". He didn't get the chance to return the sentiment as Tobio pulled him forward and out of his thoughts.

"Are you hurt?" Tobio asked, and didn't wait for an answer before holding Koushi's chin and tilting his head this and that way to assess the damage.

"I'm alright," Koushi replied, but Tobio was still studying his face, as well as what he could see of his hands from this angle. "Really, Tobio."

He didn't stop, so Koushi clutched his wrist, and that was enough to give him pause. Koushi let his hand stay, and so did Tobio, thumb digging into Koushi's cheek.

"You smiled," Koushi repeated in a whisper.

"I didn't," Tobio denied.

Koushi, amused, raised his eyebrows. Tobio remained stone-faced.

"I liked it," Koushi declared, no hesitance or embarrassment to be found.

As his words rang out, Tobio turned his head and clamped a hand to his mouth, completely covering the bottom half of his face.

Koushi pulled at a finger and looked into Tobio's eyes. "Let me see." Tobio shook his head. "I want to see you."

While Tobio didn't remove the hand himself, he didn't stop Koushi when he pulled it away. His cheeks were a light pink, but more importantly, his lips bore a shaky smile, the lines uncertain. It edged on a funny expression, but Koushi only found it endearing.

"Will you leave?" Tobio asked.

Koushi froze. "What do you mean?" If it was a request due to a crossed boundary, Koushi would accept it, but his heart ached all the same.

"You said you'd come for as long as it took to make me smile," Tobio reminded him, the promise a far away memory that Koushi. "You did it. Are you leaving now?"

It was so silly, to think that after all this time he would still think only of that initial promise, when Koushi had stopped acting because of it not a week after it was made.

"Of course not." It was his turn to touch Tobio's cheek, and when he dragged his fingers along the bone there, it left a smear of snow, half melted. Tobio shivered and it slid down his face, and Koushi followed the waterdrop's path with his eyes. "I… Don't want to leave. Not today."

Tobio's hand fell away, but latched onto his waist, and he was backed to the nearest wall, step by step.

"What about tomorrow?" Tobio asked.

He shook his head. "Not then, either."

His back touched the wall with a thud. Tobio's hand followed, pressed to the space beside his head.

"The day after that?"

Koushi shook his head again, and this time, snow came cascading down, catching onto his eyelashes, his clothes. Tobio leaned in, and when he did, all the snow melted. He blinked his eye against a waterdrop.

"When?" Tobio said, forceful. Demanding. Careful. So, so desperate.

Koushi brushed his fringe away, trailed his fingers around his ear, along his jaw, down to his neck. He breathed a cold sigh to his collarbone.

"Only when you ask me to leave," he looked into Tobio's eyes, "no sooner than that."

They leaned in at the same time and their lips met halfway, warm against cold. Hesitant and sure. Loving and trembling. Koushi felt laughter bubble in his throat, so he chuckled as he put his arms around his shoulders. Tobio, more impatient, licked at his lips, so Koushi went loose at the knees and sought out his warmth. 

"Then stay forever," Tobio murmured.

He nodded, and felt a smile pressed against his lips.

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr](https://mamichigo.tumblr.com/) | [Twitter](https://twitter.com/ma_michigo)


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